The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1887-02-11

average only ABOUT Une-tensn thu uAe-
tanoe from these Eastern cities 70 Port
land.
As consequences, . person desiring
to ship ton OF freight from 81. Paul 4
Umatilla, or from Chicago 10 Bake
City, the former being nearly 200 sails'
nearer Sc. Paal than Portland, and III.
latter over 800 miles nearer Chiesgs
than Portland, IL compelled 70 pay jusl
about donbls the amount shipper pays
on ton from n. Paul 10 Portland, OF
from Chicago vie the Union PAcl6s and
Oregon Railway and Navigation Gem
psny TO Portland.
The people, As | understand, are
complaining. not Of tho through rates,
but Of these excessive charges 10 nom
ccmpeting points. What the people,
therefore. away from competing points
in Eastern Oregon and Washington
Territory, and in Middle aud Southern
Oregon a. we'll. dssirs--At least whi.
they believe 70 be 10 their interests
an absolutely effective provision that
viii In each and every case absolutely
prohibit transportation companies, under
severe p@nalsiss, for charging more for
transporting passengers or freight sver
. shorter than over . longer distancs
on the same line. And While Il Is .
matter Of very serious doubt with ns
whether such = provision Of law will
have the desired effect. And will abso--
lulsly reduce The freigat TO and from
way.pointA, or whether, on the contra
~, the effect mar not be 10 increase the
through rates on tie long haula, aud
thus maintain The lssal rates Al high
rates on the short hauIs, Am decided
ly In favor Of giviog II trial. But 70
give !. An entirs.y fair, honest. And
complete test, 10 Is al importsa. that
the prohib;tory clause intended 20 msos
the evil above suggested should be clear.
unambiguous. direct, plain. positive.
and certain, and not conchsd in such
language, c; coupled With such condl-
tions. as to render /. Ineffective or ab-
solutely nugasory.
u was my fear that tho provision is
the bill just passed vas Of the nsturs
last described that led ms % make "a
effort 70 secute is amsndment.
/ now desire TO point out wherein /
thought the provision should have been
amended in order 10 be effective - =
long anil short haul l,rovision, and In
what respect l moved 70 amend a. =
suggestion to the Conference Cosnmit-
tee. The clause of tbs bill on this sub.
jsct Of long and rhort hauls 10 contain
ed in the fourth section, and 10 - fol-
lows:
SIC. 4. That il shall be unlAwf1l for
any coEmon carrier subject 70 the pro-
visions Of this act TO charge or receive
any greater compensation 10 the aggre-
gate fnr tho transportation Of pasaen.
sers or OF like kind Of property, under
sssbstaRialiy similar circumstances and
conditions, for shorter than for loag.
sr distance over the same lice, in the
same direction, the shorter being In
cluded within the longer distance bn,
this shnll not be constructed a. author
izing any common carrier within the
terms Of this act TO charge aad iecsive
as great compensation for . shorter a
for longer distance Provided, how
ever, That upon application TO the CON.
mission appoiated under the provisions
Of this act such common carrier may, 10
special cases, after investigation by the
commigsion. be authorized TO chargs
less for longer than for shorter distance,
for the transportation Of passengers or
property and the commission may from
time TO time prescribe the extent TO
which such designated common carrier
may he relieved from tho operaaion Ol
this section Of this act.
moved to amend this secsion by
striking from il the following six words
"Under substantially similar ciscuustan
ces and conditions"
The second section OF the bill, pro-
hibitipg unjust determinations In thu
matter Of charging one pereon more o.
less .thsn another for like and contem
poraneous service, Is as follows
SEQ 2. That If any common carrier
subject 10 the provisions OF this &C
shall, directly or indirectly,by any spec
iaI rate, rebate, drawback, or other de
vice, charge, demand, collect, or receiv'
from any person or persons greater o.
less compensation for any service rem.
dered, or to be rendered, In the trans
portation Of passengers or property
subject to tho provisions Of this act
than it charges, demands, collects, o.
receives from any other person or per-
sons for doing for him or them lik'
and contemporaneous service in th'
transportation Of a like kind Of tratii'
under Substantially similar circumstan-
ces aud coalitions, such commoA car
-. .L~li ne dnnv,,aA c,.;ltw ,f ,sniua